By Lisa Kerin-Welch, PTA President
They’re pediatricians and artists, computer programmers and IT consultants, stay-at-home moms and dads. What all these parents have in common, however, is great respect and “A+” grades for Palmer Elementary. Here’s what Palmer Principal Elizabeth Trujillo had to say about Palmer parents, and then hear it in the parents’ own words why they proudly and happily send their children to Palmer.
Palmer Elementary is fortunate to have wonderful families that donate so much of their time to ensure that the children of Palmer have the best education. We have asked just a few of these families to tell us why Palmer Elementary is their choice for the elementary education their child receives.
— Palmer Principal Elizabeth Trujillo
As parents, when asked what we want for our children, we will often say, “I just want her to be happy.” And our six-year old is happy at Palmer. She is learning and proud of that, she likes her teachers, she knows everyone’s name and makes a point to greet everyone she sees at the start of a new day. That happiness is fabulous, but it actually is not our goal. Our goal is to give her the life skills to be a responsible person, and able to make herself happy. That is the reason Palmer is the right choice for us.
What we see at Palmer are teachers and administrators who commit a phenomenal amount of time and heart. What we see is a safe place for our child to learn to be independent, yet exposed to real life. What we see is a place where our child will meet children from every type of circumstance, and we believe she will have a deeper understanding of people for it. What we see is a place where she will be allowed to make a small difference, and thus build her own self-knowledge and self-confidence. What we see is a place where our child can practice making herself happy in the healthiest sense, and be successful in her practice. Many schools can provide academics, as does Palmer. Not all, however, can provide a foundation of humanity on which to learn the academics. Palmer is a great little school.
— Sarah & Todd Parker
We chose Palmer because we both grew up going to our neighborhood public schools and really wanted our kids to be able to grow up going to school with kids from their neighborhood. We have been really happy with Palmer. Most importantly, there are wonderful teachers who are committed to making sure all of the kids get the best education they can get. Principal Trujillo thinks outside the box and isn’t afraid to try non-traditional ideas to increase opportunities for all children. For example, during the second half of this year, the first and second grade classes started changing rooms for reading so that students are in groups with other kids at their same reading level.
Our son had a difficult transition to first grade, and we have been very impressed with the support and resources that have been available. His teacher, Mrs. Fultz, has been an advocate for him through thick and thin. The early childhood education (ECE) program has been fantastic for our daughter; she absolutely loves her teachers: “I want to be Miss Katie when I grow up!” Halfway through the year she told us she wanted to read. Full day ECE has been great preparation for kindergarten. There are also wonderful teachers in art, physical education, and the gifted and talented program at Palmer. In addition, there are all kinds of great events going on throughout the year, like the talent show, Halloween carnival and the Renaissance festival. And last but not least, we can ride bikes or walk to school when the weather is nice!
— Kathy & Eric Osborne
When our family moved to Denver in 2006, we researched neighborhoods and schools for the perfect fit for our family. We found the Mayfair neighborhood and Palmer Elementary School, and we knew we were home. Our children have participated in the many extra activities at Palmer, including Shakespeare festival, inexpensive after-school programs from dance and art to Destination Imagination and origami, and the Halloween Carnival.
Parent participation is an important element in any school setting, and Palmer has given us a flexible array of opportunities to contribute. Jamie volunteers weekly in the ECE classroom and Rachel coordinates the Reading is FUNdamental program throughout the year. Strong leadership another important element, and Principal Liz Trujillo is a sound, supportive leader for our school, and we are thankful that she is committed to our school and involved in our neighborhood. Our children have had wonderful experiences with their teachers from ECE to second grade. They love to see their classmates at the grocery store, walking through the neighborhood, and at local restaurants. Our family loves being part of a great neighborhood and school community.
— By Rachel Fewell & Jamie Yeast
When we moved here from Miami two years ago, we knew we wanted our kids to be near a playground, a short distance to the supermarket, and a walk to their school - a bygone era for our generation it seemed. As luck would have it, we found a house exactly where we had all these things (and a neighborhood network too)!
The best surprise was Palmer Elementary. The diversity of the students at our neighborhood school is amazing and the principal, teachers, and staff are truly committed and inspired. The personal time they devote to our children exceeds our expectations. We love Palmer because the staff has proven they are trying to be a better school for all students, creating better instruction to the variety of skills within each classroom, and are willing partners in the education of our children.
The learning goes beyond 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The After-School Enrichment Classes (international cooking, origami, knitting, running club), the All-School Science Fair, Shakespeare Festival, Celebration of Cultures, and Field Day all extend the learning experience beyond reading and math. If you missed seeing the “Best of Broadway,” a musical program with a serious practice schedule, it was truly patience and hard work that got all of those kindergartners through second graders to create a well polished and brilliant show.
No matter how school programs evolve, some things never change. Our daughter says it best, “My favorite is gym and art (classes), I don’t know how I could make it (through the day) without them. Oh, and recess too!”
— Brenda Voglewede & Victor Carlos
Our daughter is just finishing first grade at Palmer and I have nothing but good things to say about her experiences and the education she has received over the last three years. I have had the opportunity to work very closely with the school, helping out in various events and as the PTA secretary, and have seen first hand how dedicated the teachers and the staff are to making Palmer an exceptional place to educate our children.
I really love all of the after school enrichment programs and opportunities the kids have to participate in after school. The joy that we see in our daughter when she comes home every day is not how I remember my elementary school days and has reaffirmed to us that Palmer was the right decision for our family. We have been so impressed with the school that we have enrolled our younger daughter in preschool for this fall. I know she is counting the days until she will be at Palmer with her big sister. Thank you Palmer for taking such good care of our little girl!
— Megan & Steve Volz
